After 22 years, Sarah Michelle Gellar could be returning as Buffy Summers in a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot, according to a report by Deadline. The next entry of the supernatural drama franchise could be streaming on streaming on Hulu as it nears a pilot order.
Created and directed by Joss Whedon, the beloved series, which ran from 1997 to 2003, remains a cult favorite. The reboot’s pilot will be directed by Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao and written by written by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, according to the report. The trio will join Gellar and others as executive producers.
For years, Gellar resisted the idea of a reboot, believing that some stories were best left untouched. However, in a recent interview with Deadline, she acknowledged the success of other revivals, saying:
“It’s funny, I always used to say no, because it’s in its bubble and it’s so perfect,” she said. “But watching Sex and the City and seeing Dexter, and realizing there are ways to do it, definitely does get your mind thinking, ‘Well, maybe.’”
The interview was the catalyst that began negotiations for a Buffy reboot, according to Deadline’s sources. Previous talks of reboot with Monica Owusu-Breen attached as showrunner stalled in 2022. Those talks began in 2018, with Owusu-Breen’s pitch for a fresh take on the Slayer’s return to Sunnydale with a Black actress in the lead.
As of now, Hulu hasn’t made an official announcement regarding a Buffy reboot, but with Sarah Michelle Gellar more open to the idea than ever and producers still exploring possibilities, fans have good reason to hope. The original show ran for seven seasons and 144 episodes and spawned the spinoff series, Angel. The supernatural spin-off series was a success running for five seasons from 1999 to 2004 for a total of 110 episodes.
Whether this reboot is a continuation, a new Slayer’s journey, or something completely unexpected, the Buffyverse or Slayerverse still has stories left to tell, for now, fans can stream the original series on Tubi and Hulu today.
Credit: Deadline